Shortly before 3:30 p.m., Evanston police and firefighters responded to a construction site at 2169 Campus Drive for reports of a construction accident.

A 57-year-old man had fallen approximately four stories while operating equipment on the roof, and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The man's name has not been released.

The construction site has been closed, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified and will be investigating the worker's death.

According to the university, the old Allen Center, at 2169 Campus Drive, which housed the home of the Kellogg School of Management's Executive MBA and Executive Education programs, has been torn down and is being replaced with the new Ann McIlrath Drake Executive Center, which will open in August 2027.

Police said there were no signs of criminal activity.

Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church, at 5649 N. Sheridan Rd.

Bartholomew's funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 8, also at St. Andrew's, followed by a private burial service.

Church leaders said Barthlomew learned the meaning of service from a young age inside St. Andrew's.

"This is not just a loss of our own Greek American or Orthodox Christian community, this is a loss for the entire city of Chicago," said His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, who leads the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, and will lead the funeral services.

St. Andrew's is the same church where Barthlomew's grandfather was a priest.

"I encourage people to remember that there's a real person behind the badge," Nathanael said. "He was a man who was extremely generous; generous of his time, his talent, and even his treasure."

The man accused of shooting and killing Bartholomew was back in court on Thursday, where he interrupted proceedings at least three times before a judge ordered him to remain in jail while he awaits trial.

Prosecutors have said, after 26-year-old Alphonso Talley was arrested for robbing and pistol whipping a Family Dollar employee on Saturday, he told officers that he swallowed drugs and need medical help. Once inside Swedish Hospital, he allegedly pulled out a gun from beneath a blanket, shot Bartholomew and his partner, and then stole a hospital worker's badge to escape. Talley was arrested in a nearby backyard.

After the shooting, Bartholomew and his partner were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where Bartholomew was pronounced dead. His partner remained hospitalized on Thursday, but his condition has improved, and he has been up and alert, and able to respond to questions using body cues.

Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara was asked Thursday if a failed search of the suspect led to the shooting.

"Nobody knows what happened with that gun. Nobody knows if it was tucked in a fat fold or it was tucked inside his body," Catanzara said. "I don't know that we'll ever have that answer, because he's certainly not a believable character to explain where it was. But, the reality is, if it was inside his body, no amount of searches would have ever found that without a full cavity search, which we do not do."

Catanzara said officers are reluctant to be aggressive about searching suspects because of complaints about misconduct.

Talley is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in the shooting, along with several other felony charges related to the shooting and earlier robbery.

The House unanimously approved a Senate-passed bill to fund most of DHS earlier in the day, with the exception of the department's immigration enforcement agencies, which have been largely unaffected by the shutdown. The chamber passed the legislation through voice vote with little fanfare, a sign that lawmakers were finally ready to put the impasse behind them.

The 76-day shutdown left many critical agencies like the Coast Guard, FEMA and the TSA struggling to maintain operations as funding ran dry. Repurposed money to pay employees was set to expire within days, increasing pressure on lawmakers to resolve the funding lapse.

The DHS shutdown

Spending authority for the department expired on Feb. 14, kicking off weeks of protracted negotiations between Republicans and Democrats that ultimately resulted in the bill that earned the House's sign-off.

From the start, Democrats objected to funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, the two agencies under DHS that have led the charge in enforcing Mr. Trump's immigration crackdown. Democrats pushed for reforms to the agencies' operations, including banning the use of face masks and requiring warrants for certain immigration-related arrests.

But talks over those reforms failed in the Senate. In the dead of night last month, the chamber unanimously passed legislation to fund the rest of the department, setting ICE and Border Patrol aside. 

But House Republicans rejected that plan, arguing that the bill would be caving to Democratic demands to defund the president's immigration agenda.

Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and President Trump eventually coalesced around a plan to fund the entirety of DHS on two parallel tracks. The first would involve the House passing the Senate DHS bill to immediately reopen the department. The second involves funding ICE and Border Patrol for the next three years through the budget reconciliation process, which will allow Republicans to approve a bill without support from Senate Democrats.

The president ordered DHS to redirect money to pay employees in March, but Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that funding to make payroll would dry up by the beginning of May, increasing pressure on lawmakers to pass the Senate bill.

House leaders had been waiting for the reconciliation process to move forward before bringing up the Senate legislation. Both chambers took the first step toward crafting the reconciliation package this week, adopting a budget plan that instructs the relevant committees to write legislation to fund the immigration agencies.

"We held the homeland bill, the underlying funding bill, because we had to ensure that they could not isolate and eliminate those two critical agencies," Johnson told reporters after Thursday's vote. "We are getting those done now. We passed the resolution first. That was critically important for us to do, to ensure that we're going to protect the homeland, even though Democrats are unwilling to do it. So now that that box is checked, we're allowed then to proceed and go through with the rest of it."

Mr. Trump has said he wants the reconciliation package on his desk by June 1. 

Both ICE and Border Patrol received tens of billions of dollars in funding in last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, meaning their operations have continued mostly unimpeded during the shutdown. Law enforcement agents at both agencies have continued to get paid.

The brunt of the funding lapse has thus been felt by other DHS components like the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Adm. Kevin Lunday, the commandant of the Coast Guard, told CBS News in an exclusive interview that his workforce was "furious" that the impasse had dragged on so long, calling it "incredibly frustrating." 

In a letter to employees, United's vice president of O'Hare, Omar Idris, revealed the airline will fly about 650 flights a day out of O'Hare this summer. The airline's original scheduled called for 780 flights a day.

The letter does not specify what flights are being eliminated, but noted that even the reduced schedule for this summer still represents an increase of 11% over the number of departures at O'Hare last summer.

"Crucially, we've preserved the high-quality flight times customers want between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., with minimal changes to our afternoon peak," Idris wrote.

United is not planning any staff reductions as a result of the changes to its flight schedule.

The reduction follows a decision by the FAA to cap operations at O'Hare in an effort to reduce delays and improve safety.

The FAA is restricting O'Hare to 2,708 flights per day from June 2 to Oct. 24. A total of 3,080 flights were previously scheduled at O'Hare for peak summer days in 2026.

The flight reductions originally were set to begin May 17, but the FAA agreed to push back the start date to June to give airlines more time to adjust their schedules "due to certain crew scheduling already assigned for the Summer 2026 scheduling season."

Gasoline prices also reached a new high since the Middle East conflict began on Feb. 28, with the average U.S. cost jumping to $4.30 a gallon, according to AAA. That represents the highest prices at the pump since July 2022.

American drivers are now paying $1.32 more per gallon than they did before the Iran war. Drivers in California are facing the nation's highest gas prices, averaging $6.01 per gallon on Thursday, according to AAA data.

With no end to the war in sight, energy markets are concerned about the impact on oil supplies. Reports Thursday suggesting a possible escalation by President Trump doused hopes for a quick end to the conflict, while the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed and the U.S. has continued its blockade of Iranian ports.

"The breakdown of talks between the U.S. and Iran, along with President Trump reportedly rejecting Iran's proposal for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, has the market losing hope for any quick resumption in oil flows," ING Bank strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a research note.

Although high U.S. gas prices could cause consumers to cut back on spending, for now Americans are continuing to open their wallets, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday in discussing the central bank's latest interest rate decision. The Fed maintained its benchmark rate at its current level, citing "elevated" inflation tied to the "recent increase in global energy prices."

"People are still spending. How long can that go on in a world where if gas prices were to go up a bunch more, that's taking spendable money out of people's pockets?" Powell said in a press conference. 

Brent crude to be delivered in June briefly soared past $126 per barrel before pulling back toward $114. Benchmark U.S. crude declined 1.8% to $104.97. Before the war began in late February, Brent crude was trading around $70 per barrel.

Governor JB Pritzker created the Illinois Accountability Commission in October during the height of Operation Midway Blitz.  Thursday they released their report and recommendations, including a push to prosecute the frontline ICE and Border Patrol agents using tear gas, guns and Blackhawk helicopters in immigration raids around Chicago.

"The factual record is grounded in evidence and lived experience that has taken a huge toll. I don't know if kids are ever going to feel they can cooperate with law enforcement every day," said Judge Ruben Castillo, a member of the commission. "I'm proud that the commission has approved the final report, which has now been formally transmitted to the governor."  

State leaders framed Operation Midway Blitz as an unprecedented campaign of harassment and brutality.

"This is not hard to prosecute. Not that far at all as far as I'm concerned," Catillo said.

Castillo led the commission as they reviewed 16 flashpoint incidents from last fall and winter. They heard from dozens of witnesses and victims, released new video and held community forums that led to the report which recommends, among other things, possible criminal charges for the crackdown's bad actors.

"These tactics were brutal. There has to be a reckoning," Castillo said.

The commission sent its findings to six law enforcement agencies, including the Cook County State's Attorney's Office who, to date, has not charged any federal agents for on-duty behavior during Operation Midway Blitz.

"I would say to State's Attorney Burke that if she doesn't want to investigate, step aside. Step aside and let a special prosecutor come in and do what needs to be done, but someone needs to do it," Castillo said.

A group is already in court pushing for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate possible crimes committed by federal agents, saying Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke has refused to investigate possible criminal action by federal agents because of a conflict of interest.  

In a statement, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said, "Under Illinois statute, our Office can bring charges only after receiving a completed investigation from a law enforcement agency. At that point, we review the available evidence and determine whether criminal charges are warranted in state court." 

"To date, the CCSAO has not received a request from law enforcement to review any investigation related to on-duty conduct of a federal immigration agent," Burke's office added.

Castillo said that will soon change.

"She has said she hasn't been referred anything," Castillo said. "Today, she will be referred something."

But the commission itself is not a law enforcement agency, a critical difference.

"The State's Attorney of Cook County is following the law, federal law and state law," said CBS News Chicago legal expert Irv Miller. "She can only prosecute cases she has the legal authority to prosecute. She knows where the line is and she's sticking to the line, and she's right to obey the law."

Speaking after the report was released, Pritzker said with no accountability on a federal level, state and local lawmakers need to step up.

"We have laws for a reason," he said, "and when they are broken, the perpetrator must face consequences. Without justice our laws are merely suggestions."

The commission is also asking the feds to prohibit roving patrols, hold agents accountable and require body-worn cameras, as well as stop using paramilitary tactics , and discipline ICE and CBP agents who committed misconduct.

Operation Midway Blitz ramped down during November 2025, and by mid-December was largely considered over, though the Trump administration has said multiple times it has not formally "ended."

President Trump's immigration agenda has been impeded in 2026 by the partial shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as Democrats in the Senate fought for guardrails and reforms for immigration agents as a condition for funding ICE and Customs and Border Protection.

A trio of Republicans - House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and President Trump – eventually came together around a plan to fund DHS through parallel tracks: first, the House passing a Senate DHS bill that excludes funding for ICE and CBP to immediately reopen the department, and then second funding ICE and CBP through the budget reconciliation process, which will let Republicans approve funding by simple majority without support from Democrats, who are in the minority in both houses of Congress.

The House passed the Senate's DHS bill on Thursday.

What the commission heard and saw during testimony

This week, the commission heard testimony from witnesses, officials, lawyers, and victims. 

The testimony claimed agents lied about their vehicles being boxed in, or claimed there were threats of being shot by people who didn't have a gun. Some testified that agents continued on high-speed chases when told not to.

For one of the cases, officials screened a video showing an hour of federal immigration enforcement in October.

In the video, minutes before agents threw tear gas at a protesting crowd, they pulled someone from a vehicle and tackled him. They also screeched to a halt in front of a young girl, and then questioned her citizenship, before moving on.  

Another incident occurred in  Lakeview one week before Halloween, when Border Patrol agents arrived to spot-check a home renovation project.

In video footage released by the Illinois Accountability Commission, a man can be heard telling the agents, "ICE, get off my property. This is private property." 

A community protest emerged outside the home, which led to Border Patrol agents deploying tear gas.

Commission officials said President Trump's team declined to appear at a series of hearings held since December.   

The Trump Administration began Operation Midway Blitz in September 2025. In the months that followed, thousands of federal agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection flooded the city, often in tactical gear and deploying heavy force against protesters, journalists, observers, and ordinary civilians as they carried out raids in neighborhoods, near schools, and outside courtrooms. 

Complaints about the overuse of force culminated in a federal judge issuing a permanent injunction against the immigration agents, prohibiting them from using tear gas and other riot control weapons, requiring them to issue warnings before force and riot control measures were used, and ordering them to both wear and use body-worn cameras.

The benefit, if approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission, will average around $50 annually this year and around $40 each in 2027 and 2028, or about $3-4 monthly. Roughly a million natural gas customers in northeastern Illinois are expected to receive the credits.

"These bill credits are good news for Peoples Gas customers who have suffered so much financial pain because of the utility's wasteful spending," said Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board, a utility watchdog. "We look forward to continuing the important work ahead to hold Peoples Gas accountable and seek justice for its long-suffering customers."

The settlement stems from concerns raised by the attorney general and consumer advocates regarding the costs of Peoples Gas' ongoing pipe retirement program to retire over 1,000 miles of old iron pipes that carry natural gas underneath Chicago.

Raoul's office alleged that Peoples Gas imprudently incurred costs for the work, which are passed on to customers. According to a statement from the office, Peoples Gas customers paid an excessive surcharge for qualified infrastructure investments between 2017-2023.

As a result of the settlement, Peoples Gas also agreed to remove $130 million in capital investments. Since those costs are paid by consumers over time, it is expected to save customers over $350 million.

It also requires Peoples Gas to implement further accountability and transparency measures in its pipe retirement program, including competitive bidding for contracts over $25,000 and documenting and approving all cost changes greater than $5,000.

A statement from Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas said the companies appreciated the support of Raoul, his staff, the ICC staff and CUB for reaching the unanimous agreement.

"This settlement will provide our customers with lower bills and allow us to focus on the important job of serving Chicagoans with reliable and safe energy," the statement said.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

Police said 20-year-old Kevin Koonce, of Streamwood, was found inside a crashed vehicle in the 1200 block of East Prairie Brook Drive around 9:40 p.m. on March 16. He had suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A neighbor said he heard multiple gunshots, then saw Koonce's vehicle run over a stop sign and crash through part of a fence outside a nearby daycare. He said at one point the car was in the air, coming over a hill, before it crashed into several parked cars, and hitting a dumpster.

Police said, around 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, detectives took a 15-year-old boy from Palatine into custody. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder, and was due to appear in Juvenile Court on Friday. He is being held in juvenile detention.

One of the team's newest additions is bringing some extra focus to Photoshop last year's less-than-picture-perfect 10-win finish.

Seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins has only been with the Sky for about three weeks, but it's clear she's already one of the leaders of the team.

"You take those rookies and say, 'Go girl,' like, two weeks after their season. But, you know, we have such a young group, and so I think my role in this team, a lot of questions asked towards me, a lot of eyes looking. We understand it's the honeymoon phase still. When we start the games, I might be a little more intense up here, but for right now it's feel good," she said.

Newly acquired forward Rickea Jackson said Diggins is "just a dog."

"You literally walk in the room and you feel her aura, you feel her energy, and she's not afraid to let it be known. I love to play with players like that, that's just confident in themselves," she said. "Learning with Skylar, building with her, I feel like has been fun thus far."

As Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2024, enters her third season, head coach Tyler Marsh said she can be one of the elite bigs in the WNBA. Cardoso thinks taking that step up is about self-belief.

"My teammates and my coaches, they always telling me how much they trust and believe in me. So I think that's something I've got to also start believing in myself and just go out there and do what my teammates need me to do to win games, because that's the main goal for me right now. I just want to win," she said.

Five-time All-Star guard Courtney Vandersloot is still working her way back from a torn ACL suffered last June. She said she's feeling really good, but didn't want to put any date on a return other than she will be playing this season.

A similar pattern continues Friday and Saturday with more clouds than sun, cool lakeside breezes, and scattered light rain at times. Temperatures warm noticeably Sunday and Monday as daily chances of rain continue. 

Here is your 7-day forecast:

Friday: Few showers. High: 49, Low: 36

Saturday: Morning frost. High: 53, Low: 42

Sunday: Breezy. High: 67, Low: 54

Monday: Scattered storms. High: 74, Low: 50

Tuesday: Few showers. High: 61, Low: 43

Wednesday: Scattered storms. High: 58, Low: 42

Thursday: Breezy. High: 59, Low: 49

Get more First Alert Weather from CBS News Chicago

CBS Chicago Radar | Regional Radar | Regional Satellite and Radar | West Suburbs Weather Radar | Central Suburbs Weather Radar | South Suburbs Weather Radar | Northwest Indiana Weather Radar | North Suburbs Weather Radar 

Agents from the FBI, IRS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection raided Gino's Steakhouse in Merrillville, Paragon Restaurant in Hobart and a home in Schererville Wednesday morning, hauling away boxes and computer parts. Prosecutors say what looked like neighborhood businesses were allegedly actually fronts for illegal gambling, money laundering and threats.

U.S. Attorney for Northern Indiana Adam L. Mildred announced arrested 22 people not just in Indiana, but also Chicago; Boston; Los Angeles; New York; Sarasota; Florida; Mesa, Arizona; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, after searching seven different Northwest Indiana locations.

Mildred said alleged gambling ring leaders James "Jimmy the Greek" Gerodemos, Dean "Dean Gem" Gialmas and Chris Gerodemos, along with 19 others, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Hammond on April 16, 2026. All three were among the 22 arrests Wednesday.

Investigators said the operation was highly organized and allegedly tied to the restaurants in Merrillville and Hobart. They, along with one of the homes searched yesterday, are owned by James Gerodemos.

Mildred said the defendants range in age from 21 to over 80 years old. They now face charges including conducting an illegal gambling business, conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, conspiracy to commit and intention to commit credit extension by extortionate means, conspiracy to commit money laundering and more.

"Our goal is to completely dismantle the group," he said.

Prosecutors believe the organization operated from January 2021 until the raids they executed Wednesday. The indictment alleges the defendants built an illegal gambling organization online and in person at two northwest Indiana business, and allegedly used threats and intimidation to collect debts. 

According to the indictment, the organization that prosectors call "Operation Porterhouse Parlay" allowed bettors to place wagers online at websites they created, over the phone and even by text. Court records show gamblers didn't always need cash up front; some were allegedly given lines of credit to start betting immediately.

"Members of the indictment used threats and intimidation to collect on gambling debts," Mildred said.

Investigators said the money added up fast, with bets ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars.

Authorities said the restaurants themselves were used to collect and move money, with leaders running the operation, bookies taking bets, and collectors sent out to get the money. When people didn't pay, investigators said the victims were tracked down, confronted in person, and in some cases threatened.

"Let me be clear, this was not the case of harmless casual gambling," said Tim O'Malley, special agent in charge of FBI Indianapolis. "This was part of a pattern of criminal behavior – coercion, intimidation, and financial exploitation."

Prosecutors would not discuss the specifics of the case as they took questions after their announcement, repeatedly referring to the unsealed indictment for further information.  

Prosecutors said the defendants arrested yesterday were making their first court appearances on Thursday.  While all face federal charges, none of them have been detained.

Prosecutors and the FBI are also asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim of this organization, who has relevant information for the investigation, or know they're a likely target to come forward to the U.S. Attorney or the FBI.

Thefts where retail workers are threatened with weapons, or someone is hurt have risen 7% in the last year. 

"We've had knives brandished at associates when somebody was trying to steal shoes," said Illinois Retail Merchants Association president and CEO Rob Karr. "They're becoming more aggressive." 

Chicago police declined to comment on the findings in the retail crime report, but sources said law enforcement is working to address the rise in violent retail crime.

The data in the report was collected by Auror, a nationwide intelligence platform retailers are using to share information with each other and police. 

"It's a retail crime intelligence platform. It's basically a case management system for retailers, so any incident that's happening – a theft, an assault, a robbery – gets documented," said Raul Augilar, Auror's head of law enforcement. "Auror's been used to go after some of these repeat offenders and the violence in Chicago." 

A recent example made national headlines after an innocent bystander was killed when a burglary crew fled a smash-and-grab burglary at the Louis Vuitton store on the Magnificent Mile crashed a Kia Stinger into a Honda CR-V at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Ohio Street.

Last month, two men were charged with stealing $9,000 in merchandise from a Lululemon store in Lakeview. One of those men was already facing charges and outstanding warrants for retail theft in Cook, DuPage, and Will counties. 

The Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association said it's not uncommon. The same people are often behind these crimes, with 10% of offenders responsible for more than 63% of retail crime. The organization said repeat offenders are driving the most amount of harm in retail.

Illinois retailers are estimated to lose more than $2 billion from thefts every year, losses that drive prices up and impact sales taxes for communities. 

"This crime, as you and I have discussed many times, is not victimless," Karr said.

The Cook County State's Attorney's office said, when a retail theft involves aggravating factors – such as the use of a weapon – charges may be elevated. They also said they more than doubled the number of retail theft cases charged last year.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is focused on public safety and accountability. Since Dec. 1, 2024, when State's Attorney Burke took office, we have followed state law, which sets the threshold for charging felony retail theft at $300. 

When a retail theft involves aggravating factors – such as the use of a weapon- charges may be elevated to a higher-class felony based on the facts of the case and the law.  The CCSAO continues to make charging decisions after a full review of evidence presented by law enforcement and seeks detention in every violent felony case where the defendant poses a threat to the public.

 Background  

• ·        In Cook County - 

 2024: 1073 retail theft cases charged

 2025:  2585 retail theft cases charged 

• ·        Case level data on felony retail theft and other felony offenses is available on the CCSAO public data dashboard, including year over year trends.
• ·        ASAs exercise discretion in retail theft cases, considering the circumstances, including prior offenses and other relevant factors.

Meantime, questions continue to swirl about Cook County's electronic monitoring program, because the accused killer was out with an ankle bracelet when the shooting happened.

Cook County Judge D'Anthony Thedford told 26-year-old Alphanso Talley that "no conditions that I can impose can keep the community safe from you," noting he'd violated the terms of his electronic monitoring multiple times.

Talley is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. He also faces felony charges of attempted armed kidnapping, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery with discharge of a weapon, aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated discharge of a firearm in an occupied building, escape from a peace officer, armed robbery, unauthorized possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of a firearm by a repeat felon, obstruction of justice, possession of a fraudulent ID card and three issuances of a warrant.

The convicted felon is accused of cutting off his ankle monitor before killing Bartholomew and shooting Bartholomew's partner at Swedish Hospital on Saturday.

Talley interrupted Thursday's hearing three times, prompting warnings from the judge. He was seen smirking in the courtroom, at times laughing, as prosecutors laid out their case for him to be detained.

Talley's family was in the courtroom for Thursday's hearing, as his public defender tried to argue that he could be rehabilitated, that he'd had a hard upbringing in foster care, and was working on building a better life when he was released with an ankle bracelet.

"He would never ever ever do something like this ever in the right state of mind ever, period," said Talley's stepsister, Faith. "He was not in his right state of mind, and the story doesn't add up, and I say he's a very innocent man. We're going to prove him right."

The defense's argument fell flat for Thedford, who ordered Talley jailed until his case is resolved. Talley is due back in court on May 20.

Prosecutors said Talley pistol-whipped a 55-year-old cashier at a Family Dollar store on Saturday, robbing her at gunpoint with a co-conspirator before fleeing on a scooter.

The $110 dollars prosecutors say they took from the register had GPS technology that led police straight to Talley.

He was not wearing his ankle monitor after being pinged for multiple curfew violations, and not charging his monitor weeks prior.

Police took him into custody, and he claimed to have ingested five bags of drugs earlier that day, prompting officers to take him to Swedish Hospital.

Court documents revealed Talley had told officers the same thing during a prior arrest, and no drugs were ever found.

Bartholomew and his partner escorted Talley to Swedish Hospital, where prosecutors said he was handcuffed to a hospital bed. Talley removed his pants, but was given a gown and a blanket to wear during a CT scan.

When one of the officers uncuffed Talley for the scan, prosecutors said Talley pulled out the same gun he'd used in the earlier armed robbery, shooting Bartholomew in the head and shooting Bartholomew's partner in the chin before fleeing the hospital using an ID badge he took from a hospital employee.

Talley was seen running naked, holding a hospital gown. He was found a short time later under a porch nearby, still nude with his hospital gown and a 10mm handgun.

"Nobody knows what happened with that gun. Nobody knows if it was tucked in a fat fold or it was tucked inside his body," said Chicago Fraternal Order of Police president John Catanzara.

After the shooting, Bartholomew and his partner were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where Bartholomew was pronounced dead. His partner remained hospitalized on Thursday, but his condition has improved, and he has been up and alert, and able to respond to questions using body cues.

As for what happened in between the time Talley broke the rules of his electronic monitoring and the shooting at Swedish Hospital, questions remain as to why he wasn't taken into custody sooner.

"This is a system that has been gamed time and time again, because sadly we have slid down the rabbit hole of defending the actually offenders who are ruining this city," Catanzara said.

Talley's case has raised questions about Cook County's entire electronic monitoring system.

"This today is the litmus test for it. It's not working. It's not a success. Empty jail cells are not a success when we have officers being attacked and shot constantly, and citizens being attacked constantly," said Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st).

Bartholomew's memorial services have been scheduled for next week. Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church, at 5649 N. Sheridan Rd. His funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 8, also at St. Andrew's.

The Slammers will face off against the St. Louis Gateway Grizzlies in their opening exhibition game. 

The baseball field at the prison hasn't been touched since the building closed down in 2002, but the exhibition game is part of the centennial celebration of Route 66.

Joliet Prison is more than 160 years old and has a reputation for being extremely haunted. It also let inmates play baseball for more than 100 years. 

Joliet Slammers part-owner Bill Murray was there Thursday morning getting ready for the game and sharing his love of baseball, Chicago area history, and throwing reporters onto death row for wearing winter coats in April.

Fans — of the Slammers, of baseball in general, of history, of the prison, of having a fun day with family and friends — flocked to the Old Prison yard to enjoy the day out and the season opener.

"I love baseball and this is great fun," said Marty Havrelewicz, who donned an orange prison jumpsuit. "I know the ownership of the team, Joliet's team. It's always been about having fun at the ballpark."

"It's not often you get to do something like that and on the national stage with something so momentous. We thought, one, why not do it for Joliet in style, but two to bring a lot of joy to a place that may not of had it," said Slammers co-owner Nighttrain Veeck.

Some fans came in Slammers gear, others painted their faces (some did both). Samuel Tiberi and his wife Katelyn dressed their nine-month-old daughter in an outfit that says "Cutie Convict."

"We wanted her to get dressed up so she can be a part of fun and be a part of the theme. She's a big hit so far," Tiberi said. 

Jim Woolf hoped the Slammers also hit it out of the park.

"I'm hoping it's a great game, neck and neck," he said.

Rob Weiss created a combination logo of the jailhouse bird and Route 66 logo that is displayed at home base.

"This one here probably took 25 minutes I would say. Something along those lines. I just hand drew it on the a piece of paper and just looked at it, started drawing in the dirt and make it happen," he said.

The game was nearly sold out, and if you missed today's game there will be plenty of opportunities to see the Slammers play again this year. Frontier League season kicks off May 8 with a home game as well. 

Going to the Big House Ballgame? 

Parking lots and gates

Parking lots open at 11 a.m. on game day. All attendees will have to enter through the East Gate on Collins Street. Gates open at 12 p.m. on game day.

The first 1,000 fans through the gates get a commemorative tin cup.

Parking is free and available in lots on the east side of Collins Street, near the old Women's Prison. Extra parking is available at U.S. Steel south of the prison, as well as Azteca de Oro.

ADA parking and rideshare drop-off is in the Old Joliet Prison lot immediately south of the main prison building. Organizers noted there's a quarter-mile distance from the ADA lot to the East Gate.

When does the game start? What kinds of tickets and seating are there?

The game starts at 3 p.m.

There are three ticket tiers: general admission yard, bleacher seats and VIP seating.

If you have general admission yard seats you should bring your own seating; organizers warned there are no physical seats provided with a general admission tickets. They also don't come with field access, but fans can walk the historic prison grounds and watch the game from a large screen directly below Tower Five.

Assigned bleacher seating is down the first baseline and in right and left field. Bleachers are numbered.

VIP tickets allows access to an exclusive area with a view of the field and al-inclusive food and beverage options. With this ticket option, organizers said you would watch the game with the same view the prison warden would have had.

Attendees with bleacher seat or VIP tickets are the only tiers with direct field viewing access.

Will there be pre-game entertainment?

Bill Branch and the Sons of Blues featuring Sheryl Youngblood will perform at 1 p.m. at the stage in the general admission yard.

For more information and for details about what is and is not allowed into the Big House Ballgame, click here. 

For more than 60 years, City Life Center has provided a safe haven for Gary children after school. The program serves up to 120 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. They receive meals and tutoring.

Now, very soon, a lack of state and federal funding could impact the services young people receive from the center.

"We are right now going week by week as far as financing is concerned. So, as we get donors, as different things come in, we're trying to just make payroll every two weeks," said City Life Center executive director Dr. Joshua Austin.

Sixty percent of the center's yearly operating budget of more than $800,000 comes from state and federal funding, according to Austin. Arts, culinary, job training, and after-school programs used to be provided for free, but now parents have to pay $100 a month for each child.

"There are a lot of families in this area that just can't afford that," Austin said.

With the future of the program uncertain, parents relying on it are now left wondering what's next.

Linda Hines not only volunteers at City Life Center, three of her children have attended its programs over the past two decades.

"It's served as a safe net and a place of family and comfort for them," she said.

If two of her children were to be without the program, she said, "You have to figure out meals and figure out where to place them, because everything they're comfortable with is lost."

Families who rely on services at City Life Center are not alone in preparing for what's next. The program employs 29 people from the Gary community.

"It means a lot, I think, economically in this community, because families are really struggling here. Not only do we employ adults, but I think it's really important that we provide youths apprenticeships. So, these are paid positions," said director of development Rhonda Miller.

Previously run by the YMCA and then the Boys and Girls Clubs, City Life Center's executive director had a message for anyone who has the means to keep the facility's doors open in the years to come.

"You're going to be a part of molding and shaping young people to be their best selves. You're not just investing in these kids now, but you're investing in the future of America," Austin said.

Joliet police said their narcotics unit raided a home in the 400 block of Meeker Avenue Wednesday. They also found cocaine, cash and equipment for illegal animal fighting.

Joliet police called in their Animal Crimes Team, who obtained and executed a separate search warrant. They found and recovered a total of 29 animals including roosters, hens, chicks and a young terrier puppy.

Police said several roosters had "physical alterations" indicating they were used for cockfighting, including metal spurs, straps, medications and carrier containers.

Joliet Township Animal Control is now helping the animals taken from the home get medical care.

Police said 39-year-old Roland Rodriguez-Gasca of Joliet was arrested before the initial narcotics raid in a traffic stop as officers saw him leave the home. Fortino Rodriguez, 51, of Joliet was arrested during the drug bust.

Rodriguez-Gasca is charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, delivery of a controlled substance, eight counts of animal torture, eight counts of cruel treatment of animals and eight counts animals in entertainment violation.

Rodriguez is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, animal torture, cruel treatment of animals and animals in entertainment violation. 

Illinois State Police said Tuesday they got multiple reports of crashes on northbound I-57 near 127th Street on Chicago's South Side.

State police said Hassan Moutassim, 25, of Jersey City allegedly drove his semi cab, which did not have a trailer attached at the time, recklessly down the highway, causing eight separate crashes, culminating with a final multi-vehicle crash near Halsted Street.

After that last crash, Moutassim allegedly stopped his truck, got out, physically removed a driver out of another crashed vehicle and began beating them. State police said he also tried to strangle that driver.

Troopers got to the scene and took Moutassim into custody. The victim was taken to a local hospital with injuries.

Moutassim is now charged with attempted murder, attempted battery on a public way and aggravated battery - strangulation, all felonies. He is being held in custody while he awaits his first court appearance. 

Spears, 44, was arrested on March 4 by the California Highway Patrol in Ventura County on suspicion of DUI. At the time, officers said they received a report of a speeding car on the southbound 101 Freeway. 

When officers located Spears, she appeared to be impaired. She was arrested after undergoing field sobriety tests. 

Authorities still have not provided the results of the chemical test taken after the arrest.

Earlier this month, Spears voluntarily checked into rehab, a representative for the singer told CBS LA.

A representative of the singer shared a statement at the time of her arrest, which described the incident as "unfortunate" and "completely inexcusable."

"Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney's life," the representative's statement said. "Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time."

She is scheduled to be arraigned on May 4. She is not required to appear in court for a misdemeanor-level charge. 

The DA's office said for defendants without a prior DUI history, prosecutors typically offer "wet reckless." This law allows a defendant to plead guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol and/or drugs. Under the offer, the defendant is placed on probation for 12 months, receives credit for any time spent in custody, is required to complete a DUI class, and must pay state-mandated fines and fees.

The DA's office said the offer will be extended to Spears.